Deryck Murray

The keeper dunnit

You put on a match-winning stand in a World Cup game your team-mates are resigned to losing and the match award goes to someone from the other side

There are two incidents I remember fondly from the 1975 World Cup. Both were in West Indies' vital game against Pakistan at Edgbaston. A victory would put either team into the semi-finals.

We were in a bad position chasing Pakistan's 266. With about 100 runs required and only two wickets in hand, our dressing room was gloomy. People had already started packing their bags. Then, to everyone's surprise, including our own, Andy Roberts and I saw West Indies home safely with a last-wicket partnership of 64.

We were a bit taken aback by how resigned our team-mates were to defeat. Of course, when we confronted them about it later, they turned around and said they were packing so there would be more space for the celebrations!

Tom Graveney, who was appointed to give out the Man-of-the-Match award, had left for the bar at the fall of our eighth wicket, that of Keith Boyce. He came back in time for the presentation, and gave the award to Sarfraz Nawaz. When asked about his choice, he said: "Sarfraz has taken four wickets and it is normal for a player from the winning team to get the award." Someone then pointed out that West Indies were the winners. That was the first he got to know of the result of the game!

The Sri Lankan party at the MCGFan Following: The Dilshan-Sangakkara show, Rangana Herath's athleticism, the papare bands and the obstacle-course race during the mid-innings lit up the Bangladesh-Sri Lanka game at the MCG

Backing Green at the GabbaFan Following: The match between Ireland and the UAE was the first final-over thriller of the World Cup and it was littered with great moments like the bail fail and the antics of Larry the Leprechaun

The writers who came to playNicholas Hogg: Escaping the cold of England for a cricket tour and a wedding celebration in India: capital idea, no?

No country for folk heroesDavid Hopps: The debate about whether Eoin Morgan should sing the national anthem is typical of an English culture that demands its cricketers be both free-spirited and happy to conform

NZ's Rottweiler biteSimon Barnes: Their hyper-aggressive ways have got them success in the World Cup so far. But is the method as sustainable as it is eye-catching?